The association between transition pattern of marital conflict resolution styles and marital quality trajectory during the early years of Chinese marriage

Abstract

Based on three annual waves of data obtained from 194 Chinese couples during the first few years of marriage, this study examined how couples’ marital conflict resolution styles might change over time and also the association between such patterns of changes and the developmental trajectories of marital quality. Using latent transition analysis, at each of the three waves, we consistently identified four groups of couples based on the various types of strategies they employed when resolving marital conflicts: Cooperative Couples, Avoidant Couples, Aggressive Couples, and Aggressive Wife-Avoidant Husband Couples, and then we further classified couples into five groups based on their conflict resolution style transition patterns across the three waves: Steadily Constructive Pattern Group, More Constructive Pattern Group, Unpredictable Pattern Group, More Destructive Pattern Group, and Steadily Destructive Pattern Group. Lastly, utilizing the dyadic growth curve model, we linked the conflict resolution profiles identified at the first wave to both the initial levels of and the change rates of marital quality across waves and also linked the further identified conflict resolution style transition pattern groups to the change rates of marital quality across waves.